Haunted Dreams
by TomMaier
Summary: The events of Gongmen City continue to follow Tigress into her sleep. One night, they get so intense, she does something she hasn't done since she was a child.
1. Chapter 1

_'Let me heal you...'_

_She heard the voice say it, noticing the smug tone. She watched helplessly as Shen pulled back the cloth, revealing the large cannon that was hidden beneath it. He scratched his foot against the metal, causing a spark to ignite the short fuse. She tried to make it to him, but didn't have enough time. Her friend was blasted from the building far off into the distance. Her heart sank, the immanent feelings of sadness and failure wove deep into the fibers of her heart._

_'Po...' she said, in little more than a whimper. She had only just begun to feel for him, and now he was gone._

_The memory continued as she remembered it, being locked away, questioned, and eventually chained up to the rest of the Furious Five. She sighed as they neared the bay. She remembered this part. Po would be up on the roof. She looked up, to see it was empty. _

_Any minute now..._

_Any minute now..._

_...Po?_

_The ship continued to sail and she was struck with the realization. Po was dead. She and the rest of the Five watched helplessly from their chained position as Shen used his weapons on the surrounding areas, sinking ships and destroying coastal villages. _

_'Shen, you can't get away with this!'_

_The peacock smiled, chuckling lightly._

_'Oh, dear little kitten, I can... and I _have.' _he traced a feather down her jawline. 'Besides, you act as though you have any means of stopping me.' He looked up to his lead wolf. 'Kill them.' The wolf nodded, smiling widely, his tongue flopping from his mouth. Her eyes widened as the cannon slowly turned to face her and the Five. Her nose rested against the barrel of the cannon, to stunned to move. Shen hopped onto the top. 'Now, you, along with kung-fu, will die' he told her impartially. Flicking his foot, the fuse ignited. There was a spark inside of the cannon, and soon her vision was swarmed with a bright flash._

Tigress woke up panting hard. Her eyes were wide, sweat glistened on her brow. Her glowing orbs darted about the room, in shock from the sudden change of scenery. Once she came to her senses, she calmed slightly. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed.

"It was only a dream..." she whispered to herself. She closed her eyes, repeating it a few more times. Once she was in a clear mindset, she reopened her eyes. She looked down at her sheets and sighed. She stood up and removed the cloth from her bed, balling it up. As she carried the sheet down the hall, she was glad everyone was asleep. It would be incredibly embarrassing if anyone had found out she had done it at this age.

She walked into the palace's trash area, discarding the sheet into the large bin for trash, covering it up with other items to conceal it.

"Nightmare?" a voice heavy with age asked. She gasped and turned to see Shifu standing in the doorway, a stoic expression on his face. Her face flushed slightly.

"It's nothing, Master. I'm fine."

"Nonsense. Tigress, this hasn't happened since you were a little girl." A kind smile came to his face. "Why don't you join me for some tea, and we'll talk about this. Hm?" It came out as a question, but Tigress knew it was more of an order.

"Yes... Master..." she replied hesitantly.

She followed him to the kitchen, where he pulled out a tea kettle and a small cooking rack. He filled the kettle with hot water and placed it on the rack over the coals still hot left over from dinner. Not long after, the kettle whistled, and he poured two cups, handing one to Tigress.

"Thank you, Master." He nodded, sitting at the table beside her. Taking a quiet sip from his tea, he began.

"So, Tigress, what has you up and about at this hour?" She took a deep breath and told him of her dream. He listened intently, nodding here and there.

"It all was so real. The cannons, the sounds, everything. I was terrified. And when I woke up..." she looked away, embarrassed. Shifu reached for her paw.

"Tigress, this is nothing to be ashamed of. You were scared and angry. In such situations, the body reacts instinctively."

"Yes, but I don't think _this_ is a proper way to react. I mean, when I was younger, I had less control over my body. It was excusable. But now? No." There was a small silence between the two for a moment. "I just thought... I was passed this. Shredding sheets in my sleep?" She looked down at her claws, retracting and extending them. Shifu sighed.

"Well, what happened in Gongmen City has stirred us all up quite a bit. We briefly thought we'd lost one of our own. And it almost happened. Twice." He placed his small hand on her arm. "Tigress, it's time to stop being afraid to feel. Now, try to get some rest. Goodnight." With that, he left the kitchen and made a start back to his quarters.

"Goodnight Master" she said, more to herself than him. With a sigh, she stood up and walked down the hall to the sleeping quarters. _Why on Earth would I start shredding my sheets again? I know I was scared, but I've had nightmares before and I've never been like this... But then again, none of my nightmares have ever involved-_ She cut her thoughts off as she realized she was standing before the panda's door. She stood there for a moment, contemplating her next move. She slowly reached a hand up to the handle of the door, opening it slightly, silently. She could see Po fast asleep on his bed, hugging his pillow tightly. A small smile came to her face, and she felt slightly more relaxed now, seeing him unharmed. She took a step backwards to leave when her foot pressed down on a particularly squeaky board. Her heart jumped, her eyes immediately darting towards Po, who'd surprisingly stirred from his sleep.

"Tigress?" he asked in a sleepy voice, wiping his tired eyes. "What are you doing here?" he asked, sitting himself up. She flushed lightly.

"Uh, I was just... checking on you." He looked at her with a confused face. She sighed. "Look, I had a nightmare, and just wanted to make sure you were alright." A look of understanding came to his face.

"This is about Gongmen... isn't it, Tigress?" he asked softly. She nodded slowly. He patted the spot beside him for her to sit down, which she did. The two sat in silence for a moment, neither looking at each other. "I have the same dreams" he said. She looked at him, obviously puzzled. "About you. When I saw you get hit with that cannon... I thought you were gone. Even after I found you in the bay, I didn't think you were going to make it..." He looked up towards her, and she at him. He noticed her deep amber eyes began to cloud with tears. Her lip quivered, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. Almost as soon as it dropped off of her face, she grabbed him in a tight hug.

"I was so scared!" she shouted in a shaking voice. She immediately began sobbing loudly into into his shoulder. Po was surprised at first, his eyes widening. He was shocked to see _the _Master Tigress, hardcore warrior, his idol, in such a fragile state. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, rubbing her back in a soothing way.

"Shh... That's it. Let it out..." he whispered into her ear. She continued to sob, nuzzling herself closer to him, as though she thought he'd disappear if she'd let up in the slightest. "It's okay, Tigress. I'm here..." he told her, continuing to rub her back. He looked towards the doorway, and saw the rest of the Furious Five Standing there in shock. He quickly waved them away, knowing how Tigress would feel if they had caught her in this position. Viper lingered a moment longer than the rest, giving a warm smile and a nod to the Dragon Warrior before slithering off to her room.

After a while, the sobs turned into whimpers. The whimpers into hiccups. Soon enough, a light snoring was heard. He continued rubbing her, moving up to softly scratching her head. At that point, she'd started purring. The sound surprised him. He knew cats purred, but he never knew _Tigress_ did. A smile came to his face. He was enjoying the closeness the two were sharing. He knew long ago that he'd fallen, and being this close to her was intoxicating. But, as much as he'd enjoy staying here all night with her, he knew it wouldn't go over well with Shifu.

Carefully, he stood up, supporting her while doing so. As gent;y as he could, he picked her up bridal style, and carefully, VERY carefully, carried her to her room, where he gently placed her down onto her bed. She looked so peaceful, he couldn't help but smile at her. Leaning down, he placed a small kiss, as light as a breeze, onto her forehead. He could have sworn he'd seen a ghost of a smile appear onto her lips. He backed out slowly and silently made his way to the hallway, closing the door behind him. As he turned, he came face to face with another resident of the palace. Viper looked at him softly.

"She likes you, you know" he told her. Po's face flushed.

"W-what are you talkin' about? Who's liking anybody? I'm not liking anybody. Are you? 'Cause I'm not..." he said nervously. She smiled to him.

"Po, I see the way you look at her. How you watch her train, how you know everything about her, and how you add just a touch of basil into her bowl of noodles, just because she said he likes it. I may seem a bit naïve at times, but I'm no fool" she told him. "I'm just saying, she likes you too."

"But how? She's usually just so passive to me..." he said, sounding disappointed.

"I've seen the signs. She may not know she's giving them, but she is. Just in her own... Tigress way." Po opened his mouth to retort, but she held up the tip of her tail, silencing him. "Just trust me." He nodded. She bowed to him and slithered away. "Good night, Po." He merely waved, shell-shocked by the news he'd just received. He looked at Tigress' closed door, soft, purring snores could be heard coming from her. He walked back into his room, feeling pleasantly numbed by what he'd been told. For the first night in the weeks since they'd been back from Gongmen City, Po slept peacefully through the night.

**Tell me what you think. I don't own Kung Fu Panda.**


	2. Chapter 2

Tigress awoke the next morning feeling better than she had since the events of Gongmen had taken place. She was surprised by the fact she'd actually slept through the night. But mostly by how late she had slept in! It had to have been at least ten o'clock! She was fortunate they'd been given a lenient sleep schedule as a reward for their work.

Sitting up in her bed, Tigress shifted herself, feet now touching the floor as she sat. She took a deep breath, taking in the morning air, the light from outside illuminating her room. Getting down on all fours, she began running through her morning stretching routine, a purr rumbling in her throat as a particularly stiff muscle was loosened. Changing into a clean outfit, she headed into the kitchen in hopes there were any leftovers from breakfast.

Although she'd rarely admit it, she hated missing a single meal Po made. She paused mid-step at the thought of the panda. Memories of the night before washed into her mind like an emotional flood. _So...he knows I was scared. _She continued walking. _No big deal. Not like anyone else saw us. Three hugs...I think that's the most I've hugged anyone. It was..nice_ she admitted, cheeks heating slightly. The clanking of kitchenware drew her from her thoughts

She was expecting to see Po working his way through the art of cooking. She had to admit, it was relaxing to watch him cook. How he flowed effortlessly through the motions with tenderness and grace. _What's wrong with me?_ She thought to herself. She walked into the kitchen to see Viper scooping some soup out of a large pot that sat over some smoldering wood, a thin steam rising from it. Her heart nearly leaped from her chest. _Leftovers!_ Her mind screamed.

"Good morning, Viper" she greeted calmly, grabbing a bowl for herself. Viper looked to her and smiled widely.

"And to you, sister. How did you sleep last night?" she asked innocently. Tigress looked away, but her face remained stoic.

"Just fine" she responded, walking over to the pot of soup. She held it out, and Viper scooped some into her bowl, handing her a spoon as well. "Thank you." Viper nodded to her.

"My pleasure." Both warriors made their way to the table, sitting across from each other. Taking a spoonful into her mouth, Tigress noted the soup was the perfect temperature. It wasn't too hot, but it was warm enough to be enjoyed She looked up when a delighted sigh came from her snake comrade.

"The guy is a miracle worker in the kitchen!" she exclaimed. A small smile came to Tigress' face.

"I would have to agree with you. Tofu is insignificant in comparison to Po's catering" she said, fondness coming slightly into her voice. Viper, ever aware, picked up on it.

"Yeah. He's really grown since he's come here, hasn't he?" Tigress looked at her quizzically.

"I think he's actually lost a decent amount of weight since he's been here. He's been getting-" Viper laughed.

"I mean grown mentally, emotionally. Compare him now to when he first arrived." She gave Tigress a moment to process this, as she lifted her spoon to her mouth.. A smirk came to her face. "Although it is interesting that you've picked up on his physical changes, sister." Tigress spit out any soup that had been in her mouth and began coughing wildly. Taking a moment to regain herself, she looked at Viper, surprise in her eyes.

"It's not like that, Viper!" She exclaimed, stumbling over her own words. Viper raised an eyebrow. "It's not!" Viper coyly took a sip from her bowl, keeping eye contact.

"Tigress, I've known you for how many years now? I've picked up on you quite nicely. Mannerisms and such. Lately, you've been acting different towards a certain panda." Tigress' pupils dilated, her gaze turning towards the floor. "The two of you have become very close. He brings out a side of you I'd wish I could have seen sooner. He never gives up on you, you know? If we're ever going to do something, he always makes sure he, or one of us, lets you know in case you want to join. He's fond of you." Tigress' eyes snapped back to Viper, who smiled kindly. Just then, the other members of their team walked in through the outside door, talking and laughing. "Just think about what I said" she told her with a wink.

"What are you guys talking about?" Mantis asked, hopping onto the table. The others made their way to the pot, grabbing their own bowls. For a brief moment, Po and Tigress locked eyes, but both quickly looked away.

"Stuff" Viper offered with a small laugh.

"What kind of stuff?" Monkey asked, hopping into a chair. Viper turned to him.

"Girl stuff. You wouldn't understand."

"He might" Mantis said, causing the other guys to laugh. Monkey glared at him, eating some of his soup. Po pulled out the chair next to Tigress and set his bowl down. He noticed hers was empty.

"Need a refill?" he asked, pointing towards her bowl. She shook her head, but didn't look at him.

"No. Thank you. I'm going out to train. I'll be in the hall." She stood from her seat, pushing it in. She grabbed her bowl and placed it in the sink, heading out the door. The others watched her leave, and waited a few moments before all eyes turned back to Po, who had his spoon sticking out of his mouth. He looked around at each of them.

"What?"

"Like you don't know" Mantis said, walking closer to him. "What happened last night?"

"Yeah, Tigress, _our_ Tigress, was _crying!_ I've never seen her cry before" Crane said in a loud whisper.

"So what happened?" Mantis asked eagerly.

"Guys, what happened last night was personal. I don't think Tigress would like me talking about it-"

"Come on! You gotta tell us" Mantis insisted.

"As her team, we have a right to know" Monkey chimed in.

"I agree but-"

"So just tell us" Mantis pressured. Po's patience was beginning to wear thin.

"Yeah, it's no big deal" Crane joined in. Viper looked cautiously from them to Po. She could tell he was getting frustrated.

"It's not like we're going to tell her we know."

"But I can't-"

"Of course you can! It's easy."

"Yeah, all you gotta do is-"

"It's not my business to tell!" Po finally shouted above everyone else, who backed off slightly at seeing the panda's usually calm demeanor vanish. "Instead of being nosy, just accept the fact that without Tigress' permission, it isn't my place to share what went on between the two of us last night. It was out of place to keep trying to pressure me into telling." He looked around at the shocked faces, all besides Viper, who was smiling at Po. A proud smile. He looked down, slightly embarrassed for losing his temper. "I'm sorry guys."

"No, you're right. We shouldn't have pushed your buttons" Crane spoke up. "C'mon, guys. Let's give him some space" he said. Silently, the three left. Po looked over to Viper, who was still smiling.

"You did the right thing" she said. He offered her a small smile in return.

"Thanks, Viper. I just know Tigress wouldn't exactly want her business all over the Jade Palace. Especially not something so personal." She nodded.

"I understand completely. Those guys don't get her like you do." She dropped from her seat and made for the door. "They don't care for her like you do." With that, she left. Po felt his cheeks heat up a bit, but he did nothing to try to hide it. He only continued to eat his soup.

-In the Training Hall-

A flurry of kicks, punches, and dodges assaulted the training dummy as it spun and twisted in an automatic form of offense. She let out sharp breaths and shouted as she struck the worn wood, thoughts rushing through her mind. Mostly pertaining to what had happened between Po and her. She ended up becoming so engrossed in the memories that her form slowly became more sloppy. _I don't understand. We've all been put into life or death situations, so why was I affected so greatly by this?_ She asked herself, landing sloppy blows onto the dummy. _I care about him. I really do. But I care about the others..._ She blocked the swinging arm, pushing it back away. She slowed down her pace to a stop, catching her breath. She backed away from the dummy and turned towards the door. There beside it, she saw the Adversary, and couldn't help but be reminded of Po's first day in the training hall. She smiled widely at the memory.

"Perhaps you're right, Viper. He has grown" she mused to herself, shaking her head fondly. Walking up to the inflatable opponent, giving it a weak strike of her own. It did little more than wobble from side to side, causing her to laugh quietly. Walking towards the door, she reached for the handle, only for the door to quickly open, startling her slightly. She looked up to see Po, who was just as shocked to see her so close to the door. Both just locked eyes for a moment, before Po spoke up.

"Uh...hey. Wasn't expecting you to be, like, right there" he said nervously, twiddling his fingers. He smiled shyly.

"I was just on my way out" she said, looking down. "If you'll excuse me" she added, trying to move past him. He put an arm out to stop her.

"Tigress, wait. I came here to talk to you." She backed up a bit. He stepped forward, allowing the door to close behind him. She still only met his gaze now and then. "Tigress..." He wasn't sure how to start. "Boy...where do I begin?"

"Po, it's fine. You don't have to do this."

"But I do. Just hear me out here." He rubbed the back of his head. "I didn't mean to scare you in Gongmen. What I did was stupid and wrong. But I was blinded by my feelings. I should have listened to you, but I got selfish and impulsive. And...I just wanted to say I'm sorry." His words were filled with emotion and regret. His face wore shame, and his eyes were locked onto the floor. Tigress stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder. Po looked up to her tentatively.

"Po, while I may not agree with what you did, you should not be sorry. You wanted answers, and I cannot blame you for that. Had I been in your position, I can't say I would have acted any different." She crossed her arms over her chest, as if she felt vulnerable, and needed to protect herself. "Once I saw him light that cannon... I-I tried to get to you...but I was too far away. When you flew out of that building, I just gave up. I lost the will to fight anymore. I felt like such a failure. I had no respect for myself. I had no reason to go on, so I gave in." Her eyes began to tear up slightly, but she quickly wiped them. "I was angry at you. Angry because you didn't listen. Angry at myself for not being able to save you. Angry at Shen. But I couldn't bring myself to fight anymore." Wiping her eyes again, she continued.

"But when I saw you up on that roof, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. You were alive! You'd survived being shot point blank by a cannon." She was quiet for a moment. "In my dreams, nightmares rather, that moment we saw you on the roof, you aren't there. I wait and wait, but you never show up. Then, he turns the cannon on us. It goes off, and that's when I wake up." She sniffed. "It's all so real. That's why I had to check on you. I just had to reassure myself it was just a dream." He nodded to her, absorbing the information. He took a few moments before speaking again.

"Mine are similar. After I stop Shen, and the mast collapses into the boat, I surface over at the dock...but there's nobody there offering me help out of the water. I climb out onto the dock looking all over for you, and when I do find you, you're still floating on the same piece of wood out in the bay." He looked away from her. "You never make it." He looked back at her, pain obvious in his eyes. "I've never been more scared of anything in my entire life than when I saw you floating on that plank." He grabbed her hand in his. "I care about you, Tigress." His gaze bore into her. Her eyes widened. "I really do."

Tigress was in shock. Her brain stopped momentarily, and she became lost in the emerald shine of his eyes. Her whole body became paralyzed as the weight of his words crashed into her like a tsunami.

"I-you-uh..." she stuttered out, heart pounding in her chest. She took a deep breath, probably the deepest she'd ever taken, steadying her shaky nerves. "Po, that's sweet. And I-I care about you too."

She took a step closer, erasing he distance between them, looking deeply into his yes. He looked back with a smile. One that showed peace and joy. The two leaned in as if there was a gravity between the two of them. There lips were mere inches apart. Suddenly, the door behind them swung open, revealing the rest of the Five and Master Shifu, who stood in shock and awe at their closeness. Eyes shifted all over the group, silence engulfing the area. Mantis spoke up first.

"I totally called it!" he shouted, pointing a pincher at monkey. "You lose!"

"Oh come on! I thought I had that bet pegged!" he shouted in defeat.

"I have to agree with Mantis on this one, Monkey" Crane spoke up. "Even I could tell there was _something_ between those two" he stated obviously. "What do you think, Viper?" Viper smiled innocently.

"I'm just as surprised as everyone else" she lied, directing her gaze at Po, as if to say 'I told you so'. Shifu cleared his throat, effectively silencing the chatty warriors.

"You five begin training. I believe I need to have a word with the Dragon Warrior" he said calmly, only serving to worry Po more. "Follow me." He began walking away. Po threw a 'help me' look at the other five, but followed Shifu. After everyone entered the training hall, Tigress did her best to ignore the smirks and laughs, jumping straight into her training.

Po's mind was racing as Shifu lead him to his private housing area, away from the student barracks. The thoughts of what was going to happen to him were...less than pleasant. But as they approached the small, one room building, Shifu spoke not a single word. He opened the door, motioning for Po to enter first. Suspiciously, he took the hint and walked through the door, which Shifu closed behind him. Po waited, with closed eyes, for the shouting, the swinging, and the insults to begin flying. But they didn't.

"Po, turn around" Shifu said calmly. Po did so. "And open your eyes" he said, in a slightly irritated tone. Slowly, Po complied. "Po, I'm not angry with you. Not in the slightest." Po wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Phew! That's a relief! For a second there I-" Shifu cut him off by raising a hand.

"While I am not angry now, that doesn't mean I won't be." His eyes narrowed in a menacing manner. "If you do anything, and I do mean _anything_ to hurt her, Oogway himself could not keep me from punishing you." His gaze softened. "Now, that being said, I do trust you. I've seen how you've grown being here, and I'm very pleased with your progress. And I've noticed you've been changing Tigress as well. She's become more...open. And I know it's because of you."

"Master, I care about her. With just about every fiber of my being. I'd never try to hurt her. I...I love her." Po said nervously. There was a silence between the two, Po awaiting a reaction from Shifu, who stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"Po," he began, "I am happy for the two of you. I truly am." Po smiled widely.

"You have no idea how much better that makes me feel, having your blessing. Thank you." Shifu smiled warmly.

"You are welcome, Dragon Warrior. Now, from one man to another."

"Yeah?"

"Take care of my daughter."


End file.
